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Thank you for helping us raise 11 million-plus meals and $2 million-plus in seven-year history of initiative.

LOWELL, Ark. – Arvest Bank launched its annual 1 Million Meals initiative to fight hunger in the four-state region the bank serves two months ago. Today, the bank announced that with the help of customers and community members, it has exceeded the campaign goal by raising a total of 1,881,283 meals in the fight against hunger.

Launched in 2011, Arvest’s 1 Million Meals campaigns have raised a seven-year total of 11,485,468 meals, which includes more than $2 million in funds given directly to the bank’s dozens of local food partners.

This year’s campaign total of 1,881,283 meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and community members through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches throughout April and May. With summer here, the success of the campaign is especially meaningful because many schoolchildren will be without the meals they ordinarily receive at school.

We are thrilled to be able to provide – thanks to the hard work and generosity of our associates, customers and community members – these meals to our neighbors in need. We also hope 1 Million Meals has increased hunger awareness, and we remain committed to fighting hunger in our community long after this year’s initiative has ended.

All money and food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted more than 70 different organizations feeding local communities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank’s decision to provide one million meals was based on the fact hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2015, more than 12 percent of American households surveyed were food insecure, meaning they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle for all household members.

HARRISON, Ark. – Colton’s Steakhouse and the Harrison community recently provided $444.07, the equivalent of 2,220 meals, to Ozark Share and Care after a one-day give back event hosted by Colton’s and Arvest Bank.

Colton’s Steakhouse donated 10 percent of total meal sales from customers who dined in or placed carry out orders on May 30. The fundraising event was part of Arvest Bank’s 1 Million Meals campaign that helps reduce hunger in local communities.

“This donation will impact many individuals and families in our community who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, or who would not have had food otherwise,” said Scott Tennyson, market president of Arvest Bank in Harrison. “We very much appreciate everyone who enjoyed a meal at Colton’s during this event, and we certainly appreciate Colton’s for supporting this community project.”

Arvest Bank’s 7th Annual 1 Million Meals campaign is a two-month bank-wide effort to collect nonperishable food items and monetary donations in support of local food partners to help reduce hunger in local communities. All donations to 1 Million Meals in Harrison directly benefit Ozark Share and Care, a local hunger relief organization. The 1 Million Meals campaign concluded on June 3 and the total number of meals and amount of donations should be announced soon. Every dollar raised through 1 Million Meals provides the equivalent of five meals for those in need.

The goal of the campaign is to collect the equivalent of 1 Million Meals in the 120 communities Arvest Bank serves across a four-state area.

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – A recent Shred-a-Thon in Mountain Home helped the community destroy 20-thousand pounds of personal and confidential documents in an effort to guard against identity theft.

In exchange for free shredding provided by Arvest Bank and Shred-It, Mountain Home residents were encouraged to make a monetary donation or bring nonperishable food items in support of Arvest Bank’s 1 Million Meals campaign that works to reduce hunger in local communities.

The Shred-a-Thon collected more than $2,284 in donations and 26 nonperishable food items for the campaign. The monetary donations will provide 11,420 meals to the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas’ backpack program and area backpack programs operated by other hunger relief organizations in North Central Arkansas.

“This event provided a dual benefit; it helped protect our community from identity theft and supported school children who don’t always have enough food to eat at home,” said Sally Gilbert, market president of Arvest Bank in Mountain Home. “Our generous and caring community has once again pulled together to make a difference in the lives of those who are in need and we are very grateful to those who donated.”

The Shred-a-Thon was one of several community events Arvest Bank held in Mountain Home in support of its 1 Million Meals campaign. Earlier this month, the bank’s annual Feed the Pack Day raised $18,295.82 and 3,557 food items in support of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas and area backpack programs. Volunteers in five communities collected cash and food contributions during the one-day donation blitz. Every dollar provides five meals to those in need, so donations raised from Feed the Pack Day will provide more than 91,400 meals for children facing food insecurity.

Arvest Bank’s annual 1 Million Meals campaign continues through June 3. The goal of the campaign is to collect enough food and monetary donations to provide the equivalent of one million meals in the 120 communities Arvest Bank serves across a four state territory. Mountain Home residents may drop off nonperishable food items or monetary donations at any Arvest Bank location in support of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas’ backpack program and other similar programs in the area. Every donation made in Mountain Home stays local.

Donations may also be made by calling (866) 952-9523. Arvest credit card customers can donate Arvest Flex Rewards™ points by visiting arvestflexrewards.com and clicking on the 1 Million Meals banner.

HARRISON, Ark. – The Harrison community recently shredded 10-thousand pounds of personal and confidential documents in an effort to guard against identity theft and to help reduce hunger in North Central Arkansas.

Arvest Bank and Shred-It recently held a free Shred-a-Thon event for the community, destroying more than 200 boxes of paper on-site. In exchange for free shredding, Harrison residents were encouraged to make a monetary donation or bring nonperishable food items in support of Arvest Bank’s 1 Million Meals campaign that works to reduce hunger in local communities.

The Shred-a-Thon collected more than $922 in donations and 86 canned goods for the campaign. The monetary donations will provide 4,610 meals to Ozark Share and Care, a local hunger relief organization.

“This event combined two great services to the Harrison community, protecting our neighbors from identity theft, and supporting those who face food insecurity, all in one day,” said Scott Tennyson, market president of Arvest Bank in Harrison. “We are very grateful to those who donated, and to Shred-It for their collaboration in an extremely important project.”

Arvest Bank’s annual 1 Million Meals campaign continues through June 3. The goal of the campaign is to collect enough food and monetary donations to provide the equivalent of one million meals in the 120 communities Arvest Bank serves across a four state territory. Harrison residents may drop off nonperishable food items or monetary donations at any Arvest Bank location in support of Ozark Share and Care to help reduce hunger in North Central Arkansas. Every donation made in Harrison stays local.

Donations may also be made by calling (866) 952-9523. Arvest credit card customers can donate Arvest Flex Rewards™ points by visiting arvestflexrewards.com and clicking on the 1 Million Meals banner. Every dollar raised through 1 Million Meals provides the equivalent of five meals for those in need.

Love, Hope & Cure Designs will be holding a Shop For A Cause day on May 25 with 10 percent of their sales going to 1 Million Meals. They are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are located at 2820 E. Millennium in Fayetteville, Ark.

Love, Hope & Cure was founded by Cindy Johnson with the intention of giving back to the community and helping those in need. They offer t-shirts from Southern Trends, jewelry, purses, scarves, candles, fun beverage glasses and much more!

Cindy shares the Love, Hope & Cure story …

Our story begins the day God blessed us with the birth of our first baby, a beautiful baby girl we named Evie. Under most circumstances this first sentence would suggest the beginning of a normal, healthy life for a child who is loved and for whom there are many hopes and dreams. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Within days, Evie’s whole body began to shake. This turned into many trips to hospitals. Actually as I look back, hospital visits and long stays across the country became second nature to us. Our focus then was a diagnosis. We searched hard!

It took us 22 years to find out our angel had CDKL5. It is a very rare disease. Please visit shemadeadifference.org* to know about CDKL5. Awareness is a big part of our mission. Although Evie cannot move without supervision, she is the light of our life. And even though she cannot talk, her gentle spirit, soft in nature shines the light of beauty wherever she is.

We were desperate parents. If you’ve ever had a child and you’ve tried everything to help them without success – you know what crazy is. We spent most of our lives trying to find a diagnosis and even just how to help her. We traveled the country, read, studied and loved – that was all we knew how to do. Twenty-two years later we found her diagnosis; there was no cure.

What we learned from Evie. Through it all – the needles, the seizures, the trips, the noise, the siblings, the lack of sleep, the help, the diapers, the feeding tube, the surgeries, and the list goes on – we focused on trying so hard to solve all the problems. One day we realized we had succeeded at one thing – we loved.

I remember looking at Evie, and asking God – what do we do? And I knew then – what was important was to focus on her beauty. Evie is a beautiful girl, but we mean her inside beauty which has triumphed over clumsy parents, desperate parents and searching parents. Her inside beauty finally allowed us to realize we were doing everything we could. We could finally crawl into bed at night and know that she knows we get it – because she smiles.

Love, Hope & Cure Designs – what is it and why bling and beauty? Evie taught us about beauty; she taught us how to love without condition. We know surface beauty is just that, but we also know that there are many who suffer, whether it is an individual with a disability, an injured soldier, a child battling cancer, a couple who has tried everything to have a child, an individual taking care of their parent with Alzheimer’s, and the list goes on and on.

So many individuals have different issues, different situations and different causes that need our support. Their issues can cause them to just feel a little defeated. They might just need a little hug from a scarf, a little bling to lift their spirits, or a sweet gift from a friend to carry them through the rough time. Or, you might be buying pretties. We wanted to find a way that people could buy bling and beauty or a sweet gift and in doing so pass on the greatest gift of hope a person could give – a blessing in honoring their cause. Love, Hope & Cure Designs is a boutique for a cause! We reach out to you for support. Please help us honor Evie and the thousands like her, who un-selfishly serve in ways they never thought possible.

Giving back is the reason Love, Hope & Cure was founded and 1 Million Meals is just one of many local initiatives they donate to.

Links marked with * go to a third-party site not operated or endorsed by Arvest Bank, an FDIC-insured institution.

Investment products and services are provided by Arvest Investments, Inc., doing business as Arvest Asset Management, member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC registered investment adviser and a subsidiary of Arvest Bank. Trust services are provided by Arvest Bank. Insurance products are made available through Arvest Insurance, Inc., which is registered as an insurance agency. Insurance products are marketed through Arvest Insurance, Inc., but are underwritten by insurance companies.
Securities and Insurance Products: Not Insured by FDIC or any Federal Government Agency, May Lose Value, Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by a Bank or any Bank Affiliate.